Curb indicator switch for vehicles



1950 J. A. CAMPBELL 2,520,305

CURB INDICATOR SWITCH FOR VEHICLES Filed Aug. 25, 1947 \iallmrflfonrazzlJNVENTOR.

2623 6 36 BY X a firraca ysr Patented Aug. 29, 1950 UNITED STATES ATENTOFFICE CURB INDICATUR SWITCH FOR VEHICLES Julian A. Campbell, LongBeach, Calif.

Application August 25, 1947, Serial N 0. 770,350

8 Claims. 1 This invention relates to an improved sign-ah ing devicedesigned to indicate movement of a vehicle to a location ofpredetermined clearance from a curb or other object, the device beingparticularly adapted for attachment to the fender of an automobile as anaid in king.

The present device is generally of the type employing mechanism operableby engagement with the curb to close an electric signal circu To achievethe maximum simplicity compatiol "it" effective operation, the inventioncontempla reducing the essential structure fundamentally to two members;a stationary support a de fiectible member, each carrying an electricalcontactor. Movement of the deflectible member, upon'engagement with thecurb, will then operate to close the circuit and thereby signal thedriver.

A further object is to provide a simple means for adjusting the heightof the dcfiectible member relative to the street without movement of thestationary member, and without affecting operativeness of the switchmechanism. Further, it is intended to provide the device v 'th adeformable shield capable of protecting electrical contacts from weatherand foreign matter.

More specifically, the device comprises a curb engaging unit heldrigidly behind each right hand fender, and adapted to energize a visual,audible,

or other signal electrically operable thereby, as

for instance, a light on the dashboard. Each fender unit carries adepending coil spring and an L-shaped feeler, slidable within the s;tending downwardly and outwardly tnel efrom. Two electrical contacts arelocated on the spring and its supporting member in such relative positions as to close the signal circuit upon engagement of the extremity ofthe feeler with the curb.

The invention will be better understood from the following descriptionof a particular and typical embodiment, as illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the right wheel and fender of anautomobile with the device attached;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on line t3 of Fig.2; and

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on line ll fender will be describedherein. Referring first to Fig. 3, the stationary member or support, islustrated in this typical embodiment as comprising a clamp II and a bodymember I8. Attachment to fender edge In is eiiectuated by means of theclamp, jaws I2 and I3 of which are drawn together by bolt I4. Arm I5,projecting from jaw I2, is pivotally connected to spaced a us it and llof the body by screw bolt I9, which may be tightened to rigidly set thepivotal joint at any desired angle. Thus, regardless of the angle atwhich fender edge In rises, the demay be positioned correctly byadjusting the votal joint between the clamp and body. Body may be formedas a single piece, or as two inbers ail and 2 I, connected as by screw22. Depending coil spring 23 is held rigidly in an opening in body I8,as by set screw 24 and plug the primary function of plug 25 in theillus-.

trated means of attachment being to prevent distortion of spring 23 upontightening of set screw 24. Spring 23 carries an electrical contactor2E5, recessed to present three contacting faces 27, 28 and 29, see Fig.4. This contactor may have any appropriate form for application to thespring, but is illustrated typically as a sleeve atta-ched to the springby set screw 30, distortion or the spring being prevented by insert 3I.Spring 23 carries feeler guide 32 at its lower extremity.

Projecting downwardly through the body I8, and insulated therefrom bynon-conductor 33, is a pin type contact 34 which, in the normal positionof the device, is midway between the contact faces 2'! and 29 and ashort distance from face as seen in Fig. 4.

Engagement of the electrical contacts is responsive to movement of asubstantially L-shaped curb engaging feeler 35, which is preferably madeOf spring wire or other similarly resilient material and may be loopedat its outer extremity, as at 3S. Feeler guide 32, insert 3 I, and plug25 have openings within which the vertical arm of feeler is slidablyreceivable. Means, such as set screw 3? in guide 32, is provided forrigidly holdthe vertical arm of feeler 35 in any desired axialrelationship with spring 23. Thus the horizontal arm of the feeler maybe set at any desired height relative to the street. Spring 23 andfeeler 35 form together a resilient curb engaging unit and are recitedas such in the claims.

A cup shaped shield 38, attached to the body as by band 39 and providedwith a hole 40 for the passage of feeler 35, protects the device fromweather and foreign matter. The shield may be made of rubber or otherdeformable material to permit deflection corresponding to that of thefeeler and spring.

As pointed out above, normally the electrical contacts do not touch, andno current flows in the signal circuit. However, any engagement of loop36 with a curb or other object, will cause the contacts to close andgive the desired signal to the driver. For instance, movement of loop 36forwardly or rearwardly of the car, will cause rorational movement ofthe spring 23 and contact'or 26, and will thereby close the electricalcircuit through contact 34 and face 21 or 29, depending upon thedirection of movement. Similarly, transverse movement of loop 3willoperateto close the circuit between contact 34 and face 28. As theautomobile is maneuvered to a correct parking distance from the curb,the feeler is disengaged and returned to normal position by reason ofits own resiliency and that of sprihg 23.

I claim:

, 1. A curb signaling device comprising a support attachable to avehicle, an elongated "curb engaging unit rigidly attached to saidsupport at one location and extending downwardly and then outwardlytherefrom, said unit being resilient and free for resisted rotationabout a vertically extending axis and for resisted inward swingingmovement transversely of said axis, stationary electrical contact meansattached to'said support, and movable contact means carried by said curbengaging unit for movement therewith, said stationary and movablecontact means having opposed surfaces engageable to close a signalcircuit upon said rotation of the unit, and said stationary and movablecontact means also having opposed surfaces engageable to close'thecircuit upon said transverse swinging movement of the unit.

. 2. A curb signaling device comprising a support attachable to avehicle, an elongated curb engaging unit rigidly attached to saidsupport at one'location and extending downwardly and then outwardlytherefrom, said "unit being resilient and free for resisted rotationabouta vertically extending axis and for resisted inward'swingingmovement transversely or said axis,"a first electrical contact attached"to said support, and a second contact carried by said curb engagingunit for movement therewith, one of said contacts having a recess andthe othe-r'contact "having a projection received within said recess andnormail'y spaced from the walls thereof, whereby said contacts areengage'able to close a signal" circu-it upon either said rotation'orsaid swinging movement of the unit.

3. A curb signaling device comprising a support attachable 'toa vehicle,an elongatedcurb engaging-unit rigidly attached to said support at onelocation and extending downwardly "and then outwardly therefrom, saidunit being resiliexit and free for'resisted rotation about a vertically'ex'tendihg and for resisted inward swinging movement transversely ofsaid axis, a firstelectrical contact attached to said support, and asecond contact carried by said cur b engaging unit for movementtherewith, one of said contacts having a recess with an inner wall and apair of opposedside Walls and the other contact having a projectionreceived within said'recess andnormall'y spaced from each of said walls,

whereby said rojection is engageabl'e with'said side wallszres'pectivelyto close an electrical signal circuit upon said rotation of th'e'resili'ent unit in opposite; id-irections "and, is 'engageable with theinner wall to close said circuit upon said transverse swinging movement.

4. A curb signaling device comprising a support attachable to a vehicle,an elongated curb engaging unit including a vertically extending torsioncoil spring rigidly mounted at one end to said support and a movablefeeler member rigidly attached to the other end of said spring andextending downwardly and then outwardly therefrom, said unit beingresilient by virtue of said spring and free for resisted rotation aboutthe axis of the spring and for resisted inward swinging movementtransversely of said axis, sta- 'tionary electrical contact meansattached to said support, and movable contact means carriedv by saidcurb engaging unit for movement therewith, said stationary and movablecontact means having opposed surfaces engageable to close a signalcircuit upon said rotation of the unit, and said stationary and movablecontact means also having 'opposedsu-riaces engageable to close thecircuit upon said transverse swinging movement of the unit.

5. A curb signaling device comprising a support attachable to a vehicle,a resilient curb engaging unit including a vertically extending torsioncoil spring rigidly mounted at its upper end to said support and amovable feeler member rigidly attached to the lower end cf thesprin'gand extending downwardly andthen outwardly therefrom, said unit beingresilient by virtue of the spring for resisted rotation about the axisof the spring in opposite directions from a normal condition, electricalcontact means stationarily attached to said support, and additionalcontact means carried by the curb engaging unit for movement therewith,said stationary and movable contact means having opposed surfacesengageable upon rotation of the unit about said axis in either of saiddirections to close an rectric'al signal circuit.

6. A curb signaling device comprising a support attachable to a vehicle,a resilient curb engaging unit including a ve'tically extending torsioncoil spring rigidly mounted at a first location to said support and amovable feeie'r member rigidly attached to the spring at a locationspaced axially thereof from said first location, said ieelerextendingdownwardly and then outwardly from the spring, said unit being resilientby virtue of the spring for re ed rotation about the axis of the springin opposite directions from a normal condition, electrical contact meansstationaril attached to said support, and addi-.

ticnal contact means carried by the spring; intermediate said locationsand spaced from each of said locations axially of the spring, saidstationary and movable Contact means having opposed surfaces engage'ableupon rotation of the unit about said axis in either of said directionsto close an electrical signal circuit.

7. A curb signaling device comprising a sup port attachable to avehicle, a resilient c" rb engaging unit including a verticallyextending torsion coil spring rigidly mounted at its upper end to saidsupport and a movable ieeler member rigidly attached to the lower endor" the spring and extending downwardly and then outwardly therefrom,said unit being resilient by virtue of the spring for resisted rotationabout the axis of the spring in opposite directions irem a normalcondition, electrical contact means statio'nar-ily attached to saidsupport and additional contact means carried by the spring intermedi'atesaid ends for movement "therewith, one

of said contacts having a recess with opposed electrically conductiveside walls and the other having a projection extending into said recessand engageable with said walls respectively upon rotation of the feelerabout said axis in said opposite directions to close an electricalsignal circuit.

8. A curb signaling device comprising a support attachable to a vehicle,a resilient curb engaging unit including a vertically extending torsioncoil spring rigidly mounted at a first location to said support and amovable feeler member extending downwardly and then outwardly from saidspring, means for releasably attaching said feeler member to said springat a location spaced axially thereof from said first location and in aplurality of vertically adjusted positions, said unit being resilient byvirtue of the spring for resisted rotation about the axis of the springin opposite directions from a normal condition, electrical contact meansstationarily attached to said support, and additional contact meanscarried by the curb engaging unit for movement therewith, saidstationary and movable contact means having opposed surfaces engageableupon rotation of the unit about said axis in either of said directionsto close an electrical signal circuit.

JULIAN A. CAMPBELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,646,164 Moscate Oct. 18, 19271,883,040 Solve Oct. 18, 1932 2,060,771 Kempf Nov. 10, 1936 2,082,835Kelly June 8, 1937 2,243,497 Bougie May 27, 1941 2,258,334 Miller Oct.7, 1941 2,259,614 Chang Oct. 21, 1941 2,436,123 Sines Feb. 17, 1947FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 603,972 France Jan. 15, 1926 634,972France Dec. 10, 1927 849,538 France Aug. 21, 1939

